Page 33 of Burning For You

He put his beer to his lips, took a long swallow, then watched Skye sip hers through the straw and laugh. With a pang sharp in his chest, the memories of their teen years came back.

“I bet you’re a regular here too, aren’t you?” she asked. “Seems fitting with the name.”

He wasn’t sure where she was going with this. Unless maybe she wanted to find out if he knew more about this regular she met with the other day.

“I guess. I come maybe once a month, no more than that. More for the food than the drink.”

“Hey,” Will said. “What about the company?”

He flicked his thumb to the bartender. “I keep telling Will that he needs to have delivery.”

“I second that,” she said, slurping up more of the drink. “I would have gotten that rather than having to change out of sweats to walk out the door.”

His eyes ran over her body.

Her long brown hair was in a ponytail, jeans on her petite frame, a hoodie over whatever shirt she had on under it. If anything.

Sneakers on her feet.

Both times he’d seen her at the fires, she’d been dressed about the same. Even her hair pulled back.

No makeup on now and he was guessing not then either.

“Corbin mentioned you worked from home. I’m not sure I’d even get dressed if I did.”

This time she looked him over a bit more. A bit longer.

It got his blood pumping. His body tingling. His dick twitching and wanting some more.

He fought not to adjust on the stool because he was positive she’d know exactly what was going through his mind.

“In the summer I might not have much more on than cotton shorts and a tank top. I’m on the third floor of my place. Right now, it’s not bad. Heat rises. But I’m positive come summer my AC is going to be raging and it still won’t make a difference.”

“Probably not,” he said. “I’m on the second. Got people above and below me. Can’t really stand it, but I’m used to it now.”

He could have switched at some point, but that was too much work.

Her name was called before he was ready for her to go.

She slurped up the rest of her drink. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He was trying to think of something to prolong the night. Thankfully, his name was called next. He tossed cash on the bar and left a quarter of his beer in the glass. “Wait up.”

She turned at the counter where she was handing over her card. “Yes?”

“How about we eat together. This way neither one of us is alone. You know, catch up on old times. Or you can pick my brain because I know you’re dying to.”

Didn’t mean he’d give anything more than facts. And maybe it was low of him to throw that out there, but he was desperate.

She hesitated a bit longer than he hoped for, but then said, “Why not?”

10

JUST BEING HIM

“Your place is bigger than mine,” Skye said ten minutes later at his apartment.

For the life of her, she wasn’t sure why she agreed to have dinner with Ash Ridgeway.